Winter Has Come
by Nezz.San
Summary: Dedicated to Monty Oum. An artist of godly skill and work ethic. This short story revolves around Weiss's sister, Winter. Set after the events of Season 2, team RWBY prepares for the arrival of the TRUE Ice Queen. Ruby freaks out, Weiss freaks out, Yang thinks they're all doomed, and Blake has to hide being a Faunist, Jaune is sent flying across a building. Shenanigans and drama.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

**Winter Has Come**

The coliseum-like room reverberates with the sound of blade striking gauntlet.

Weiss and Yang sparred intensely in one of Beacon's lecture halls.

While the fencer utilized her hit and run tactics, the boxer bobbed and weaved, evading the Myrtenaster by narrow margins.

A strike grazes Yang's cheek, and causes her to manifest frustrating thoughts.

_C'mon! "_She"_ was faster than this. If you can't keep up with this speed, you'll end up losing again!_

Weiss hits her with a three stab combo. Arm, arm, leg.

Out of irritation more than technique, Yang throws a wild haymaker. Though Weiss blocks the punch, the attack lands hard and sends her tumbling across the room. The fencer lands on her feet and shakes her head from the shock.

_Hit after hit and nothing to show for it. How many times did my attacks actually find their mark, only to have her blast me across the room?!_

Weiss and Yang chaffed under their own respective vexations. The fencer takes on her practiced form, while the boxer shifts to the balls of her feet.

The two combatants bolt towards each other. Weiss uses her Glyphs to glide smoothly through the air and Yang barrels down on her like a jet releasing its afterburners.

Just when the collision seemed imminent, Weiss uses her semblance to launch herself upwards at ninety degrees and back down towards Yang's shoulder.

The blade pierces a bit of flesh, but is taken a hold of by Yang's gloved hand. Pulling Myrtenaster out and swinging her opponent forward, she plants a shotgun punch clean on her sparring partner's face.

Weiss smacks hard on the ground, but eventually lands on her feet.

They both look at each other, panting hard with exhaustion. Yang nursed her injured shoulder, while Weiss wiped the blood from her lips.

They had been at it for hours.

The two of them fighting their own demons rather than each other. Memories of the events of "Breach" played out in their minds. Yang being handled with ease by Neo's finesse. Weiss being rag dolled by the White Fang Lieutenant's strength.

They each reflected the very thing that defeated the other, which was what led to the sparring session.

_C'mon! Pull yourself together! If Weiss had aimed for your head, it would have been over. I can't keep getting outmaneuvered!_

Yang badgered herself as Weiss had her own internal argument.

_My strikes are too light! What's the point in having fast attacks if my enemy stands up right afterwards and trounces me?_

Sitting on a bench, their scrolls alarmed for the umpteenth time. They were supposed to have ended their practice a while ago, and had been ignoring the timer's many chimes.

Weiss closed her eyes as she tried to remember her training. A cold female voice echoed from the recesses of her mind.

_Remember, Weiss. A Schnee must carry herself with deadly beauty. Possess grace AND force. Inspire hope AND fear. Like an angelic violinist playing a devil's melody…_

As the two were about to engage again, an odd ring tone filled the room. The scroll wasn't playing the timer's chime, but a caller's, and it was only Weiss's.

Weiss was going to ignore it but Yang held up her hand.

"It's probably Ruby. You should answer it."(Yang)

Weiss sighed and walked over to the scroll to see the ID of her caller.

She immediately froze upon reading the name.

Yang took notice of the sudden stiffness and glanced at the name displayed.

**WINTER**, it read.

"Hey, isn't that your sister?"(Yang)

The ringing ended and a red circle blinked on the display. After a moment of silence, the scroll began chiming again. Weiss flinched violently.

"Uh… Weiss?" (Yang)

"…Give me a minute." Weiss said as she sped out of the room.

"And I thought Ruby's semblance was speed…"(Yang)

It wasn't even a minute before Weiss ran back with a look of horror on her face.

"We have to go back. NOW!"(Weiss)

"W-What?"(Yang)

"Winter is coming…"(Weiss)

"Oh! Did Blake get you to watch Game of—"(Yang)

But she never finished her sentence as Weiss dragged her forcefully to their dorms, casting all her haste Glyphs along the way.

Back at team RWBY's dorm, Ruby was playing cards with Blake, and, for once, wasn't losing.

"Prepare, Blake Belladonna! This will be the day I've waited for~ "(Ruby)

And just as her victory was all but complete, Weiss burst into the room, dragging Yang and a heavy gust of wind behind her. The violent gale sent all the cards on the bed flying.

"…" Ruby stared blankly for a second. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"What's going on?"(Blake)

"I WAS GOING TO WIN!"(Ruby)

"No, you weren't. I had a trap card, anyway. Weiss, what is it? You look pale…er… than usual."(Blake)

"You!" Weiss points at Blake. "Need to hide. Fast!" She points at Ruby. "And you. Stop your crying and put your speed to use! This room needs sprucing. Now!"

"Um, Ice Queen who rules over all that is bossy, I think you should tell us what's going on first."(Yang)

Weiss glares at Yang.

"You want to see the _real_ 'Ice Queen'? My sister's coming for a visit and if everything isn't perfect, she'll…" Weiss's voice trails off as she imagines the consequences.

"Winter Schnee?" Blake asks with a strained voice.

They all turn to her and see she was wearing an expression of quiet anger.

Weiss is the first one to react and places her hand on Blake's shoulder with understanding.

"I know what you're thinking.

She has history with the White Fang. I've heard the stories, you're my friend, but she's still my sister. Which is why you need to disappear for a little bit."(Weiss)

Blake scowls but then checks her temper.

"Fine. I get it…"(Blake)

"… Sorry."(Weiss)

Everyone was momentarily taken back about Weiss apologizing so sincerely.

"Whoa…" Ruby awes with an open mouth. "Also, you have a sister?"

"ENOUGH! Get to cleaning! NOW!" Weiss yells hysterically.

Blake exits the room and asks team JNPR to shelter her, while Weiss, Yang, and Ruby move frantically to make the room more presentable.

"I don't know why we're in such a rush. I mean, your sister _just_ called you a few minutes ago. It'll be _hours_ before she even gets here."(Yang)

"She was probably nearby on business and decided to drop in on a whim, which means she could be here at any moment."(Weiss)

"What's your sister like?"(Ruby)

"My sister likes nothing and is willing to destroy everything."(Weiss)

"…Wha? I mean, what is she _like_?"(Ruby)

"She's..."

Weiss's words fail her.

"Is she that bad?"(Ruby)

"No! She's great. Really. My older sister is an exceptional musician, dancer, and warrior. The future successor of the Schnee Dust Company. She wields a significant amount of diplomatic influence and…and…" Weiss pauses. "We're not sisters like you and Yang, Ruby…"

A somber mood fills the room before Weiss speaks up again.

"Anyway! Don't do or say anything embarrassing!"(Weiss)

"Um—"(Ruby)

Weiss covers her mouth.

"I said don't say anything embarrassing!"(Weiss)

"Weiss, I think you need to calm down."(Yang)

"I am calm! I am completely and utterly CALM!"(Weiss)

The three suddenly hear movement outside their door. As they press their ears against it, they can discern a familiar male voice addressing someone on the other side.

"Why hello~ You must be Weiss's older sister. The name's Jaune Arc. Short, sweet—"

Apparently, Blake had told team JNPR about the situation and their leader had planned on getting good with the family.

*BANG*

Weiss burst through the door and cast Glyphs below Jaune, leading to the end of the hallway. He abruptly floated up and flew down the hall, gaining speed with every glowing circle he soared over.

"WAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaahhhhh…hh…h…"(Jaune)

Weiss was sweating profusely as she turned to her sister.

"Pay him no mind, sister! He was… a student who was suffering a concussion from our classes! Really, not in a great state of mind! Haha..ha..ha…"(Weiss)

"Bye Jaune…"(Ruby)

"See ya, lover boy."(Yang)

"He was suffering from a concussion and your solution was to levitate him, and sending him across the building...?" Winter spoke with a calm assessing tone.

"Uh… no. Well, see…"(Weiss)

"Please, Weiss. If you're going to lie, at least do it in a more plausible manner. And don't let your voice quiver. It gives it away."(Winter)

Immediately, Weiss, Ruby, and Yang stood with their spines rigidly straight. They eyed the _real_ Ice Queen with both fear and awe.

Winter had her white hair cut to a practical length, while possessing beautiful bangs. She wore a sleeveless long dress that looked strangely like ballroom attire and battle armor at the same time. Fitting her feet perfectly were high stiletto heels, which gave her already exceptional height, even more daunting stature.

But what drew most attention were Winter's eyes. Piercing blue with the gaze of cold lithium. As if she expected the best performance out of others, but was eternally disappointed. It was hard to tell if she had ever blinked even once the whole time.

She smiled politely to the three, but there was no mistaking the air of intimidation exuding from her. It felt like Winter was measuring them all up, assessing their worth, and probing for weakness.

…And she most likely was.

The Ice Queen continued to stare cheerfully at the three, who were struggling to breathe and failing. An uncomfortable silence had lapsed before Weiss realized the reason for the tense stagnation.

She quickly elbowed Ruby in the stomach.

"GUH! OW—WAH AH I AM… Ruby! Nice to meet you… Weiss's sister!"(Ruby)

Yang attempted to salvage the situation.

"Helloo~ I'm Yang! I like your dress! It goes well with your…." Yang notices her weapon. "…Lance!"

Winter had her white and blue colored lance set on the wall, beside some luggage. The long weapon measured almost twice the height of its wielder. Welded steel designed as Blue rosed vines weaved elegantly to house the curved blades at both ends. Familiar looking revolver wheels were also attached to the shaft's edges.

All three gulped in synchronization upon eyeing the double ended lance more closely.

Winter stepped forward, grasped the ends of her dress and performed a perfect curtsey.

"My name is Winter Schnee. Executive Officer of the Schnee Dust Company. Thank you for taking care of my sister. It is a pleasure to meet you."(Winter)

Ruby struggled to respond to the formality and began bowing for some reason.

"Uh-h-h! Yes, please to meet you! I'm Ruby! Wait, did I already say that?!"(Ruby)

_YOU DOLT!(Weiss)_

_Ruby, you've doomed us all…(Yang)_

But Winter only smiled the same cold cheerful smile as before. She stepped in front of Ruby and Yang, placing a hand on each of their heads.

They both flinched.

"Cute." she commented ominously while petting them.

In the span of a few choice words, the Ice Queen had laid ownership to their souls….

In the team's dorm, Weiss nervously played tour guide to her sister.

Zwei quickly shuffled his short feet toward the new guest. Upon meeting a cold glare from Winter, the dog stopped, and reversed his shuffle into hiding.

"Not a… dog person?" Ruby inquired.

"I'm afraid not. Though I'm sure Weiss is fond of your pet, I'm more of a cat person. Oh, yes. Where is Blake Belladonna?"(Winter)

The three's thoughts raced.

"Sister, how did you know about Blake?"(Weiss)

"Please. Do you think I haven't done my research and kept track of your records? It's only natural I know who your teammates are."(Winter)

"Then… do you know she's…"(Weiss)

"Hm?" Winter raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing! Uh… I don't know. Ruby! Where is Blake?"(Weiss)

"Me?! I don't know at all either! It's a MYSTERY!"(Ruby)

"You are team leader, but you do not know the whereabouts of your teammates?" Winter asked in monotone.

*Gulp*

"Uh..I…uh…"(Ruby)

"Don't worry, I'm only teasing. I'm sure she's out training or what have you." Winter said smilingly.

_Totally… not joking…(Ruby)_

"If I may, could Weiss and I have the room for a bit? We need to have a little sisterly chat."(Winter)

Ruby could not have left the room any faster as the only thing that filled the space she was inhabiting, was her rose petals.

Yang smiled as she leisurely picked Zwei up from his hiding place under the bed. She left the room and closed the door.

"How have you been, Weiss?"(Winter)

"Well, dear sister. I'm at the top tier of my class, and am participating in the tournament soon."(Weiss)

"I see. Father was rather surprised you weren't chosen for team leader. 'Outranked by a peer two years younger,' he went."(Winter)

"Ah… did he…"(Weiss)

"Yes, but I wasn't surprised. I never thought you were leader material."(Winter)

The comments stung deep as Weiss struggled to keep a straight face.

"Inspire hope and fear, remember? A Schnee should have those around her afraid, and at the same time, irresistibly attracted to her. You never quite learned that."(Winter)

Winter walked over to a picture frame on a desk. It had all four members of team RWBY smiling jovially.

The older sister looked at Weiss in particular.

"I don't think I've ever seen you smile that much in any of our family photos."(Winter)

"…" (Weiss)

"Well… if you're happy, then maybe that's just fine. You're suited more for a support role, really."(Winter)

"…!"(Weiss)

"But a most reliable one at that. I will be depending on you heavily in the future."(Winter)

"What?"(Weiss)

"It's nothing to be surprised about. I have high expectations for you as my future right hand. You _have_ the ability after all. There's no possible ally who is stronger, nor someone who I trust more."(Winter)

And just like that, like so many times before, Weiss's older sister gave a person confidence as easily as she could take it away. Maybe because she gave praise so scarcely, and high praise even scarcer, that when she did, it had such a deep impact.

_Hope and fear…_ Weiss thought silently.

"Yes, sister. I won't disappoint you."(Weiss)

Winter caressed her cheek.

"Of course you won't. You never will."(Winter)

The moment was cut short as Winter's phone rang. She answered, said a few words, and then hung up with a business like efficiency.

"I've stayed long enough. Time to be on my way."(Winter)

"Oh, I'll see you to the gates. It's the least I could do for not receiving you there."(Weiss)

"Not at all. I'm sure I can find my own way."(Winter)

"…Yes. Please send my regards to father."(Weiss)

Winter nodded.

"It's a shame I didn't get to meet your fourth teammate. She seemed very unique on paper."

"Um… yes. I'll make sure to introduce you next time."(Weiss)

"I look forward to it."

As she was about to leave, she turned around.

"Don't forget your little childhood lesson, Weiss. As nice as your friends may seem, when the time comes, the only one who can save you is _you_."(Winter)

The words brought forth old memories that flickered through Weiss's mind.

"Take care."(Winter)

And with that, she was gone.

Weiss sighed heavily. All the air in her lungs must have exhaled as she felt like her life had shortened by a few weeks. She went over to the window and opened it violently.

"You can come in now."(Weiss)

Ruby, Yang, and Zwei nimbly entered the room.

"Wow, Weiss. Your sister is scary… No wonder you're… so Weissy."(Ruby)

"What does that mean?!"(Weiss)

"I kind of get it."(Yang)

""Huh?""(Weiss and Ruby)

Yang scratches her nose shyly.

"It's an 'older sister' thing."

"Okay… Well, I'm glad you're my sister, Yang…"(Ruby)

"Awwwww come here youuu!"(Yang)

"No…ugh… Stop…"(Ruby)

"By the way, what was that about a 'childhood lesson' at the end?"(Yang)

Weiss breathed another heavy sigh.

"It's a long story."(Weiss)

"Ooooh! A Weiss origin story! I love origin stories! AND FLASHBACKS!"(Ruby)

"Ugh… You pest…"(Weiss)

She gave a scowl, but was immediately met with Yang and Ruby's expectant eyes.

"Okay…. Well… it happened when…"

Winter's stiletto heels resonated pleasantly as she walked across the empty pathway. As she made her way between the fountain plaza to the school gates, something caught her attention.

Her pace halted and a grin crept over her face.

"Well, well, well, I get to meet the little kitty cat after all."(Winter)

With a short blur, Blake appeared in front of her.

"Winter Schnee…"(Blake)

"It's been a long time since we met that fateful day."(Winter)

"…"(Blake)

"Hm~ That's quite a lovely bow…But I think you look better without it."


	2. Mirror, Tell Me Something

**Mirror… Tell Me Something**

Blake glares daggers at Winter Schnee, who was wearing her long white dress reinforced with steel armor. The woman with ghostly blue eyes responds with only smiles. They both stand alone in the empty courtyard, under the bright moon light.

No one would have been able to interfere if they had decided to fight each other.

"You've murdered **hundreds** of my people," Blake accused.

"I make it good habit to make sure those who wish to pick a fight with me, _find one_." Winter responded cheerfully.

"Grrrr…"

"Is it not normal to answer those who point their blades at me in kind? Although…" Winter makes a small chuckle. "… I did make one or two exceptions."

She eyed Blake with a pointed gaze.

Blake responds by clenching the sword at her hip.

"Seems the cat grew bigger claws since the last time I saw her. Do you plan on continuing what you started all those years ago?"

"I could kill you…"

"Darling… I'd love to see you try~ "

Back at team RWBY's dorm, Weiss and Yang wait for Ruby to return from the bathroom. Apparently, she didn't want to have to go in the middle of the story telling.

Weiss holds a parchment of music in her hands with "Mirror Mirror" titled at the top. She ran her fingers across the title and the measures below. A deep pang of mixed emotions cracks her heart.

"Okay, I'm back!" Ruby yells and interrupts Weiss's reflection.

Their leader was now carrying a large tub of popcorn.

"I thought you went to the bathroom?!"(Weiss)

"Yeah… And I also got some popcorn."(Ruby)

"Nice~" Yang says as she grabs a handful.

"Ugh! I don't even want to tell the story anymore!"(Weiss)

"Noooo! You can't do that! Do you want some popcorn?! Will that make you feel better?!"(Ruby)

"You think you can bribe me with popcorn?!"(Weiss)

"… So… you don't want any?"(Ruby)

Weiss throws her an angry glare before grabbing a handful and shoving it in her mouth. After swallowing and clearing her throat, she shows them the sheet music she was holding.

"It all started with this."

A child Weiss was crying bullets as she hung her head in despair. Her body choked and trembled uncontrollably.

The Schnee Dust Company was holding one of their annual showcases. It was right before a ballet performance when the little heiress was sobbing back stage. Adults were arguing all around her.

"Where are the replacements?!"(Weiss's Father)

"There are none, sir! They're prototypes. We barely made enough as it is."(Engineer)

A few minutes before, Weiss's ballet shoes had disappeared. Normally this wouldn't pose such a problem, but they were a new type that incorporated cutting edge Schnee technology, allowing the wearers to practically fly through the air. The performance was meant to double as advertisement for investors and buyers.

Weiss was the _Prima Ballerina_, the lead dancer of the whole number. It was practically her show, and now she wasn't going to be able to perform in it.

The reason for the disappearance of her shoes was obvious. _Someone _wanted the main role for themselves. Either that, or they wanted to knock the heiress down a peg. The whole situation screamed foul play.

"Then take the shoes from one of the other dancers!"(Weiss's Father)

"We'll have to recalibrate it and…"(Engineer)

"Then do it!"(Weiss's Father)

*Gulp* "I understand… then…"(Engineer)

Weiss's father and the engineer looked at the other dancers who were on standby. The little girls had a look of fear in them. They had prepared tirelessly for this one performance for the last few months, and one of them was going to have that hard work turned into nothing. Weiss couldn't bear to see how this all played out.

"That is unacceptable."

A harsh voice cut through the tension and all eyes turned to the source.

A younger Winter stood in a beautiful white dress, with her hand placed on her hip. Her gaze fell over them and then focused singularly on Weiss.

"Will you doom another for _your_ mistake? For _your_ complacency?"(Winter)

Weiss made no response.

"Weiss."(Winter)

Weiss jolted in her seat and looked up at her sister. The voice was not loud, but spoke volumes. A scolding harsher than if she had yelled angrily.

"I... will step down…" Weiss muttered.

"Now wait just a second, Winter—"(Weiss's Father)

"It's fine isn't it? Weiss isn't much of a dancer anyway. If her heart isn't in it, why waste the time?

The audience can sense an ugly performer when they see one. Everything is laid bare through music and no amount of pure talent can cover that."(Winter)

"Winter!"

A hand laid on the Ice Queen's shoulder. It belonged to a well built, red haired man wearing a sharp tuxedo.

"Stay out of this, Apollo. This is a family matter."(Winter)

"Still, you don't need to be so harsh."(Apollo)

"It's fine." Winter looked to the performance director, who had been silent this whole time. "Well? You understand the situation. Get on with the performance."

The director jumped and began flusteringly collecting himself.

"Yes, so without Ms. Schnee, Aria will be the Prima."(Performance Director)

The little girl called Aria nodded quickly. As the line of performers began shuffling towards the stage, Winter whispered something to Aria.

"Remember, the audience can sense an ugly performer when they see one."(Winter)

The little girl looked at her with horrified eyes. Aria expected her to say more, but it seemed Winter would keep her secret.

An hour ago, she had seen the ballerina carrying out the sabotage. Aria was caught handling Weiss's shoes and had expected to be reprimanded then and there. But the elder Schnee only smiled and walked away, knowing that her little sister's shoes were never going to be seen again.

With a strain in her heart, Aria continued to walk on stage.

_The audience can sense an ugly performer when they see one._

The words resonated deeply in the girl's tiny body and wreaked havoc on her insides.

Meanwhile, Winter stood in front of Weiss, who was still slumped in her chair, tearful face buried in her hands.

"Like I said, you're not cut out for as a dancer, Weiss."(Winter)

It was something Winter had routinely commented on long before.

""Winter!"" Weiss's father and Apollo tried to stop her, but fell mute under Winter's raised hand.

"On the bright side, I have an alternative for you."(Winter)

She pulled out a few pieces of paper and held them out. The younger sister looked at it with shock.

"Those are—!"(Weiss)

They were sheet music titled: "Mirror, Mirror".

"I found them lying about. See, Weiss, I was right. You're not cut out to be a dancer; especially in that group.

You're a singer. One that needs _competent_ accompanists. Particularly, a pianist and a _violinist_, it seems."(Winter)

Winter eyed Apollo with expectation.

Apollo looked flabbergasted, but then made an uncomfortable smirk.

_By violinist, you mean me, huh? And _you're_ going to be the _support_ pianist? Do you even know how to step out of the spotlight?_

Their father caught on. He immediately grabbed the sheet music and skimmed it over.

" Who wrote-?"(Weiss's Father)

He eyed the composer's name with surprise.

"She wrote this?"(Weiss's Father)

"It's not _quite_ my speed. A bit too slow for my liking, really, but we should be able to perform it flawlessly."(Winter)

"Your showcase is supposed to be next."(Weiss's Father)

"And now it's Weiss's."(Winter)

Their father fell silent for a moment.

"… Did you plan all this?"(Weiss's Father)

"What _ever_ could you mean, father? In any case, I've performed the main number countless times. People know how brilliant I am. There's no need to remind them every year. Redundancy is rather appalling, wouldn't you say?"(Winter)

Their father seemed to look for words to respond, but ended up harrumphing, and storming off. As soon as he was out of earshot, Apollo addressed the obvious issue before them.

"She hasn't even consented to performing."(Apollo)

"She will." Winter looks at her little sister. "Won't you, Weiss?"

The little heiress felt cornered.

After being plunged into the depths of despair, a ray of hope had appeared, a light at the end of a tunnel. But before she could get there should would have to cross a path littered with thorns.

Would she be able to perform well? The question repeated in her mind like a thousand annoying birds chirping at once.

"I'll do it…" Weiss muttered weakly.

_Trial by fire, Weiss._

Her older sister's lecture badgered her.

"I'll do it!" Weiss spoke more confidently.

Winter nodded, while Apollo shrugged.

"Get ready then. The tailor should be able to put together a dress that matches mine."(Winter)

Weiss nodded fiercely and ran off.

"I wonder. Are you spoiling her or are you hard on her?"(Apollo)

"Hmmm~ A wonder indeed."

The ballet performance had gone poorly. Replacement Prima, Aria, had not risen to the occasion well. Despite the setback, the Schnee sisters' father did not have much to complain about. Though the dance was mediocre, the performance of the ballet shoes was well received.

The general consensus was that the show would have been complete trash if it hadn't been for the graceful gliding and movement due to the Schnee footwear technology. It was like making a product look even better by putting it beside a product that was completely inferior. As if the slowest of people could move at groundbreaking speeds as long as they possessed the Schnee product.

_Did that girl plan for this as well?_

Meanwhile, Weiss and Apollo prepared for their performance.

Apollo was quickly scanning the notes, frantically memorizing and rehearsing the key measures. Winter was nowhere to be seen, but would definitely show up before the call. Weiss was running through her vocalization drills in hurried desperation.

The little heiress didn't feel butterflies in her stomach; she felt a wasp's nest. Weiss looked down at her long dress with worry. It was an elegant thing that looked too mature for her. A complete replica of what Winter had been wearing before.

"You okay, kid?" Apollo asked behind her.

"…Yes. I'll be fine… I think."(Weiss)

"Of course she'll be fine. She's a Schnee." Winter spoke with a gentle voice that quelled any disobedience.

Weiss and Apollo froze at the sight of her.

Contrary to her white shining dress before, Winter was now wearing a jet black outfit with a matching colored ornament in her hair. Her appearance exuded a feminine devil-like aura.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised anymore, but weren't you supposed to match your sister?"(Apollo)

"Really? I rather think the contrast fits perfectly."(Winter)

"Did you even study the piano sheets?"(Apollo)

"I gave it a look over."(Winter)

Apollo sighed.

_I really can't keep up with you. Of course, I doubt anyone can._

"Sister… I don't think this dress fits me very well…"(Weiss)

"Yeah… To be blunt, she looks too young and immature to wear it." Apollo comments as he looks her up and down.

"Well then, shall we go?"(Winter)

_She really does just go at her own pace…_ was what Weiss and Apollo thought.

The MC could be heard announcing Weiss's song.

As the three were signaled to walk out, Winter, who was in front, did not move an inch. A moment passed after the announcement was made, and there was still no movement.

The other two panicked and stared at their pianist.

"This is _your_ piece. You're supposed to be the first one to walk," Winter whispered.

Weiss gasped and nervously moved in front of her older sister. As she passed, Winter whispered one last thing.

"Remember, Weiss. The only one who can save you is _you_…"

The three musicians took their respective positions. The grand piano sat ominously in the back. Apollo took his position off center and a bit stage right. Weiss nervously stepped forward, closest to the audience, the main attraction.

They looked at each other and Winter began moving her fingers across the piano keys.

Soft, supple, and perfect, the intro of Mirror Mirror went.

Weiss's vocals joined in and rung throughout the hall.

Eventually, Apollo's violin made its appearance and the pace picked up.

It went well. Completely as scripted. It was a great testament to Winter's and Apollo's musicianship to be able to play new music on the fly.

As the first nervous jitters faded away, Weiss began to ease into her singing.

It wasn't going to be a mediocre performance. The little heiress was going to redeem herself. She breathed in and out calmly in the break between the vocals.

It was going to be fine.

The piano solo played out.

…

…..

Weiss and Apollo felt like they were in sudden free fall.

The notes on piano sounded like violent snowfall as Winter's fingers danced with inhumane dexterity.

_Wait…wait…wait wait wait wait…_

Weiss's face portrayed none of her uncertainty, but beneath the surface, she felt like she was drowning.

_THIS ISN'T HOW I WROTE IT! THE PACE IS TOO FAST!(Weiss)_

_I told you, Weiss. It isn't _quite_ my speed.(Winter)_

The sudden tempo change meant Weiss's already difficult Melisma part had to be even sharper and smoother. It was the high point of the whole piece where the singer's skill was displayed with dynamic transition tones and volume. Too long and it would sound like oversinging. Too quick and it would seem sloppy. It was going to require precision the little heiress had never practiced.

Deeper dread set in with every one of Winter's notes.

Weiss's Melisma was rapidly approaching.

The piano solo pushed the tempo futher.

_Her own song! Are you trying to destroy your sister?!(Apollo)_

_I won't slow down, Weiss. Don't you dare run out of breath. Don't you dare fall behind!(Winter)_

_C'mon, kid. Nail the Melisma!_

The piano solo ended and silence filled the room.

It lasted in the span of a breath.

Soft, but then quickly growing was a chilling voice.

Weiss poured out her soul for all to see.

_I knew it... Weiss, you…(Winter)_

_Whaddya know, the little princess can sing. (Apollo)_

…_are the only one that can keep up with me!(Winter)_

Weiss's voice pierced through the silence like a threading needle.

No one in the audience dared to move or even breathe.

They only heard the voice. The background melody merely minor support.

Tears streamed down her face as she emptied herself into the resounding air.

When the song ended, the audience had forgotten to clap for the longest time. Still straining with the lack of air in their lungs, they applauded mechanically.

But the three musicians paid no mind. They bowed and exited the stage in exhaustion. Though they played but a single piece, it was long enough and performed fast enough to push them to their limits.

Weiss heavily panted as the tears seemed to have slowed in their flow. Rather violently, she wiped the excess moisture from her face, and struck it away with a flick of her wrist. The little heiress looked at her two accompanists with a fierce stare.

"I don't think she's too immature for that dress anymore, do you?"(Winter)

"Ahaha. No… she grew up quite a lot after that…" Apollo answered, still out of breath.

Weiss flashed them a bright and beautiful smile….

…right before she began hurling into a trash can.

The rollercoaster of emotions had annihilated the last of her nerves.

"Ugh…"(Apollo)

"I would've been surprised if she _didn't_ do that."(Winter)

"Whoa…"Ruby awes as she shoved another handful of popcorn into her mouth.

"That was… a thing…"(Yang)

"Thinking about it now, I still feel like I want to throw up."(Weiss)

*Dorky snorty laugh* "Vomit girl."(Ruby)

"So that was the childhood lesson?"(Yang)

Weiss twiddled her fingers.

"That's half… After that…"(Weiss)

"GASP* I need more popcorn! Intermission!" Ruby and leaves.

Upon opening the doorway, Team JNPR falls through like overstuffed luggage. An awkward stillness permeates the air as Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren look up with clumsy smiles.

Ruby stares at them for a second, and then dashes out, rose petals in her wake.

"Um…hi."(Nora)

Weiss looks like she's about to pop a blood vessel.

"WHY ARE ALL OF YOU SO FOND OF EAVESDROPPING?!"(Weiss)

"Oh… then you better not open the window…(Yang)

Weiss viciously opens it and finds Sun and Neptune on the building ledge.

"…. FOR THE LOVE OF—!"(Weiss)

"I'm back!" Ruby yells as she comes back with an even larger tub of popcorn.

"Hm? Blake's not with you guys?"(Yang)

"She said she had to ask Ozpin something and left." Nora said as she grabbed some of the popcorn.

"Too bad she's not here to hear the story."(Yang)

"Well none of you are hearing the rest of it!"(Weiss)

The whole room erupted in anarchic refusal.

""NOOOOOOOOOO!""(Ruby, Nora, and Sun)

"Oh come on!"(Yang)

"I wanna know the end!"(Jaune)

"It would be a shame if you stopped there."(Ren)

"Sorry, but I really would like to hear the rest of it, if you don't mind."(Pyrrha)

"ENOUGH! *Heavy sigh* Fine…"(Weiss)

"Is she done throwing up yet?"(Apollo)

"She's sleeping now."(Winter)

*Sigh* "You really put her through the ringer. One day, she might break."(Apollo)

"It's for her own good. 'Trial by fire'. If it means making her stronger, I'll gladly stick her between any manner of hammer and anvil."(Winter)

*BOOM*

An explosion fills the theatre and members of the White Fang begin pouring inside. In the ensuing chaos, Winter and Apollo quickly move to protect the Schnee sisters' father. They each pull out their respective weapons and a wild battle royale commences.

_(Present time, in Beacon's courtyard)_

"I wonder...Back then, did you see our performance, Miss Belladonna?" Winter asked with a playful voice.

"… I did…"(Blake)

"What did you think?"(Winter)

Blake looks away, refusing to answer.

"I suppose your silence says enough. I wonder how Weiss would react if she knew that you had actually met her _before_ entering Beacon."(Winter)

Winter gave a light chuckle.

When the battle in the theatre was over, a head count was done. Many of the attendants and Schnee employees were injured, some even killed.

"Weiss Schnee is missing."(Theatre Employee)

The statement hung in the air for a while before a blade was heard stabbing into the concrete floor.

It was the first time in a long time that Winter Schnee's cold mask had cracked, and revealed her raw emotions.

Unperforated fury…

A wrathful Ice Queen, who looked thirsty for blood…


	3. Tell Me Who's The Loneliest Of All

**Tell Me Who's The Loneliest Of All**

"Weiss. Weiss! Don't leave me! NOOOOOOOO!"(Ruby)

"Um… Ruby, she's only kidnapped. Not dead."(Yang)

"You don't know that!"(Ruby)

"Um…" Yang murmurs as she points to Weiss.

"Oh. Yeah. I knew that. I just get really into stories sometimes."(Ruby)

"So, let me make sure I got this right. Before a ballet number, you got your shoes stolen. Then your older sister practically forced you into an even crazier singing thing. Changed the tempo to _your _composition, made you cry, and almost humiliated you in front of a whole bunch of people?"(Yang)

"And made her throw up hehe~"(Ruby)

"And if that wasn't bad enough, you got kidnapped by the White Fang?"(Yang)

"...Yes. That's about right up to this point."(Weiss)

"But they saved you in the end…right?"(Yang)

"….No. No they didn't."(Weiss)

"I knew it! It's not a happy ending! NOOOO! WEISS!"(Ruby)

"So there's more to the worse day ever?"(Yang)

Weiss sighed.

"Yes…" She pauses and furrows her brow. "'The only one who can save you is _you_'." Weiss said softly to herself.

While Weiss was reminiscing, out in the courtyard, Winter faced Blake cheerfully.

"So, what do you plan to do with my sister? Do you plan to finish what you started?"(Winter)

"… No. She's my friend."(Blake)

Her hand, which had been clenching her sword tightly, loosened and released.

"I'm no longer part of the White Fang. And whether it makes a difference or not, I never supported anything that happened that night."(Blake)

"Mhmmm.." Winter nodded patiently.

Suddenly, Blake went for her blade and released it from her sheathe. A purple light flew threw the air and soared towards Winter.

*PANG*

Winter brought her lance to block the blow. A slight cut appeared near her eye.

"But that doesn't mean I'll forgive you for the lives you took that night!"(Blake)

Winter's grin grew menacingly wider. She curtsied politely, one hand on her dress and the other holding her body length lance.

"Remember little black cat, it's my habit to make sure that those looking to pick a fight with me, find exactly that."(Winter)

Their battle began.

Under the somber moon light, a black and white figure danced in the school's courtyard.

_(In the past)_

An unconscious child Weiss was carried into the room of a stone ruin.

The "buildings" stood in the middle of a great forest. Once a great castle, the complex was now an open air maze that was used by the White Fang. While the walls were relatively intact and had a fair amount of height, no roof sheltered the inhabitants.

On a pile of hay, the young heiress was laid down. White Fang members looked at her small sleeping body, including a certain young Faunus who refused to wear a mask.

"She's my age."(Young Blake)

"And a _Schnee_. There's no reason to pity her." Spoke a large White Fang Lieutenant. "We should just kill her and be done with it."

"We were only supposed to attack the Atlas higher ups! Why are we involving a little girl?!"(Blake)

"Hmph. She's not just any little girl, Blake. She's a direct heir."(Lieutenant)

All the members looked hard at the sleeping princess. They had all lost something or someone, damaged in some way due to her family's work. Especially the White Fang Lieutenant, who specifically made it his mission in life to kill as many Schnees as possible. A mission he had success in, earning him the title "Schnee Killer".

He suddenly hefted his large sword on his shoulder and looked at all of them.

"You smell that?"(Lieutenant)

The White Fang members looked up, sharpening their senses.

"Blood." one of them muttered.

"Someone's trying to breach the security." The lieutenant looked at five of them. "You guys stay here. If anything happens, kill her."

They nodded with a grim resolve.

"Everyone else, come with me to the defense line."(Lieutenant)

"Even me?"(Blake)

"You barely carried your weight at the theatre. Time to make up for that. Besides, it's a good opportunity to scrape off some of that squeamishness in you."(Lieutenant)

The members assigned to guard Weiss, took up their positions. One would stand watch outside the gate, while the others monitored the ruin's vicinity.

Blake looked at the sleeping girl one more time, before throwing a blanket over her. She quickly followed the rest of the party to the front line.

With their animalistic traits, maneuvering through the forest was easy, despite it being almost pitch dark. The defense line was about a mile away from where they had kept their hostage, but they crossed that distance in almost no time at all.

There, they stood thunderstruck as the ground was littered with the dead bodies of their comrades. What was disturbing was the manner in which the limbs were dismembered. They didn't look torn or ripped apart, but rather neatly cut like a butcher's work.

The party heard a high pitch sound echo through the forest. They looked ahead and saw that the sharp ringing was caused by a twirling lance.

Winter moved it, as if it were light as a feather; spinning it at a speed that couldn't be tracked with the naked eye. The wielder's long white dress, which had heavy armor sown into the legs and torso, were stained with blood.

The Ice Queen looked up at them with a horrifying smile.

"Oh? I feel like I've seen that face before?"(Winter)

The whole White Fang group felt needles prickle down their spines as they took an involuntary step back.

All of them… except one.

"Hmph. You should have."(Lieutenant)

"Ah… It was on a wanted poster."(Winter)

And with that sentence, Winter stopped spinning her lance and went into an extremely deep curtsey.

"I've heard you're fond of killing Schnees. I must regretfully inform you…" She uncurtseyed. "… that you will not be killing _this _one."

Her victims' blood trickles down her face from her bow. Winter's vicious smile made an appearance again.

"Don't let her intimidate you!"(Lieutenant)

The rest of the group jumped at the scolding and immediately drew their weapons.

The Lieutenant brandished his large sword, which was roughly a third size of his body, and swung it towards Winter.

Without making a sound, the Winter stabbed the ground, and launched herself gracefully into the air and out of harm's way. She landed gently before the other unmoved White Fang members, and with a slight snicker, she twirled her long reaching lance. The strikes hit her enemies at blinding speed, instantly turning them into bloody ribbons.

"You—!"(Lieutenant)

"I make it habit to repay those who point their weapons at me in kind, no matter how weak. Hm?" Winter's eye catches something. "But it appears I missed one…"

She stares at the young Blake, who had fallen backwards, covered in her comrades' gore.

"Maybe you were too short?"(Winter)

While Winter was distracted, the Lieutenant decided to make use of the opening. He leapt high and unleashed a downward slash that could shatter rock.

Winter held up her lance horizontally to block the strike. The blow made contact with the exact middle and looked like it was going to break the staff in half.

The Lieutenant tensed his bulging arm and back muscles, adding more force to his blade.

There was a sudden give, and the sword fell through the defenses. Although it should have met flesh, Winter moved back out of the sword path instantly.

She held her twin lances firmly and began striking her opponent with alternating hands. A six hit onslaught was quickly loosed, ending with a double stab.

The Lieutenant was knocked a fair distance back.

"That weapon—!"(Lieutenant)

"Was a twin lance in the first place." Winter said with delight.

She twirled the first half in her left hand while posing a stabbing stance with her right. She walked patiently towards the Lieutenant with a gait that radiated bloodlust.

The giant White Fang member stood his ground for the coming attack.

He was nearly punched full of holes.

Winter's spear thrusts darted towards him with enough force to push the man back, even while blocking. When he tried to counter with a strike of his own, the Ice Queen's twirling left lance would parry the attacks cleanly.

Spark flew as the opposing weapons clashed. Loudly they sounded through the silent forest, as all the animals had evacuated the immediate vicinity. Only Blake sat there, watching the battle in a captivated trance.

Her focus was interrupted at the combatants suddenly separating.

"Your speed isn't poor for such bulky physique."(Winter)

"Save your words!"(Lieutenant)

"Huhu~ As you wish~"(Winter)

Winter began twirling both lances, giving them the appearance of two razor sharp propellers. While her fingers moved with a dexterity that couldn't be seen, the rest of her body looked eternally graceful and calm.

The Lieutenant was no fool.

He knew this was the final clash, and if things kept moving the way they were, he was going to be on the losing end of it. He made his resolve and took a piercing stance, pointing his sword's tip at his enemy.

_I'll at least take her down with me._

And with that, the Lieutenant rushed forward. Winter stepped forth as well, her weapons humming at her sides.

As soon as the White Fang member felt he was within range, he thrust his sword into the Ice Queen's center mass. He reinforced his heart, willing that the stab must go through no matter what.

*PANG!*

For a brief moment, the dark forest illuminated brightly with the sparks caused by the impact.

At the climax of the collision, both weapons went flying in opposite directions. The lances and sword went soaring into the shadows and the two combatants recoiled.

Winter had read the Lieutenant's intentions, and focused all effort on parrying the weapon than going for the wielder.

Though surprised, the White Fang member quickly regained his composure.

"Hahaha! You've doomed yourself! If it comes down to a simple fist fight, I won't-!"(Lieutenant)

But the Lieutenant would never finish gloating about his good fortune.

A thin blade had sunk into the man's heart.

He looked down perplexedly.

The sword withdrew, and blood spurted out from the wound.

He was about to step forward, still willing himself to fight, before he was stabbed again.

*Cough*

The Lieutenant coughed up blood.

A cold howl moved through the air as two more stabs struck true.

Four holes were grouped over his heart and finally, his body gave out.

Without any afterthought, Winter began wiping the blood from Weiss's Myrtenaster.

"I brought it along without a second thought. Never imagined it would actually be useful."(Winter)

She looked down at her opponent's dead corpse.

"But if you did kill her. I suppose there's some sort of poetic justice in it…"(Winter)

After a few moments at the cleaning labor, she suddenly looked up.

"I thought I forgot something."(Winter)

She stared smilingly at the child Blake.

The cat girl was holding her sword, shivering with tears in her eyes. What willed her to move was anyone's guess. Though fear had nestled its way into her very core, she shakily maneuvered her body into a fighting stance.

Winter had finished cleaning Myrtenaster and turned her full attention towards Blake.

"I have a fondness for black cats, you know."(Winter)

"…"(Blake)

"And being able to bring your sword up against me, after witnessing all that, you're actually my kind of person. It's commendable."(Winter)

Blake hissed.

"But not cute at all."(Winter)

With a swift and nimble stab, the Ice Queen knocked Blake's sword out of her hands.

"Pick it up again and you will receive no second chance," Winter said with a deathly low voice.

Blake looked at her fallen weapon and then back at the Schnee.

"Now… Where. Is. My. Sister?"(Winter)

The voice questioned with slow emphasis. Blake felt the words form shards of ice in her heart.

"She's… in the ruins… a mile… that way…" Blake pointed with a shaking hand.

Winter's eyes still locked into the young girl's.

"Is she still alive?"(Winter)

Blake's mind went to the little sleeping girl atop a short pile of hay.

"Y—yes…"(Blake)

Then something strange happened.

Winter gently brushed the side of Blake's face with extreme fondness. A warm smile appeared on the Ice Queen's expression and she spoke with a caressing voice.

"Thank you, little kitty cat."(Winter)

The elder Schnee began walking in the direction of the ruin.

"Wait!" Blake yelled without much forethought.

She wasn't sure what she could accomplish, but she had to try. Her stomach twisted with the conflicting emotions she was harboring.

Winter had halted her walk, but didn't turn around.

"There are guards there."(Blake)

"…And?"(Winter)

"Please…please… don't kill them…"(Blake)

Blake was betting that the blood lust Winter displayed was due to thinking she had lost Weiss. That seeing the "Schnee Killer" was like a confirmation of her little sister's death.

She wanted to believe that there was actual kindness behind that warm smile just now.

An eternity of tense silence had passed before Winter answered.

"I promise I won't kill them."(Winter)

Winter resumed walking.

Blake watched her back disappear into the darkness.

As soon as she was out of sight, the little girl began sobbing uncontrollably.

Winter came upon the stone ruins and quickly located her little sister. Without anyone's notice, making sure to stay downwind from the guards, she looked at Weiss from atop a wall.

"She's sleeping so soundly, hm?"(Winter)

Winter looked at the guards.

"Petty minions of low combat level…

Gives me an idea…" (Winter)

Winter thought back to her promise with the young Blake.

_I only promised _I_ wouldn't kill them._

She dropped Myrtenaster silently into the hay, next to her sleeping sister.

"Remember, Weiss. The only one that can save you is _you_."


	4. The Loneliest Of All

**The Loneliest Of All**

Weiss slowly woke and found herself on a pile of hay. She panicked at her unfamiliar surroundings and forcefully calmed herself down. After taking a few deep breaths, she began recollecting what had happened.

_There was the concert. The White Fang attacked and kidnapped me. So they must have brought me here…_

Weiss found Myrtenaster at her side.

_Why are you here? Did they think they could sell it?_

Her stomach growled loudly.

_How long have I been knocked out? Ugh… I skipped lunch and threw up whatever I had for breakfast so I'm practically starving._

A guard had heard the stomach growl and checked up on her. Upon seeing the Myrtenaster in her hands, he immediately drew his sword. At which point, Weiss's training kicked in.

She sprung to her feet and darted in a zig zag towards her foe.

The thin blade pierced the guard's kneecaps, causing him to collapse forward.

Looking down at what she had done, she jumped and dropped her sword.

_Oh no! I attacked him! What do I do? I didn't expect those attacks to hit!_

All of Weiss's sparring partners and mentors were masters of their weapons, including Winter. It was the first time the young girl had affected real harm on another person.

_Will they kill me now since I attacked him?!_

The guard on the floor was yelling loudly in pain. It alerted the other sentries, and their footsteps could be heard as they rapidly approached.

Weiss desperately searched her surroundings for some sort of assistance, maybe somewhere to hide.

Other than the pile of hay and the small blanket, everything was bare stone.

She fell to her knees grasping her head.

_Someone… someone… help me… Sister!_

Weiss felt an odd presence and looked around again. She turned her vision upm but only found the dark night sky.

_Someone… please…_

Scanning the room again, her eyes fell on her Myrtenaster.

Weiss choked back her tears, and reluctantly picked up her blade. She went over to the screaming guard and prepared a downward stab.

_Winter would kill him to make sure he didn't give the other sentries any relevant information._

As her small hands grasped her sword with more tension, Weiss closed her eyes as she swung down.

*TANG!*

The guard had stopped yelling.

He looked to the side of his head and saw the blade had pierced the stone floor a hair breadth's away.

Weiss's cold cheeks warmed to the tears pouring down them. She violently wiped her eyes and sniffed loudly.

_This isn't the time! I have to run. If I don't have to kill him, I won't._

The heiress forced her shaking knees to carry her weight and began running. She moved through the stone maze, often running shoulder long into dead ends. Weiss could hear the other guards finding their injured comrades and became more frantic.

After finding an opening in the walls, she dove through it with all panicky haste. Her long dress caught on the jagged edges. Weiss pulled on it violently, ripping the hem. At the abrupt release, the little girl fell forward onto the cold wet grass. She was practically caked with dirt and mud.

Her relief from escaping the stone maze did not last long as White Fang members quickly caught up with her.

It wasn't so surprising considering their naturally gifted tracking skills and physique. Three of them edged closer to their prey, weapons fully brandished.

The sentries remembered their orders to kill her if anything happened. They looked to each other and nodded in nonverbal agreement.

Weiss gathered all her courage and stood up.

With the whirling body reactions of fear, adrenaline, courage, and sorrow, the young girl shakily took her fencing form.

Suddenly, everything felt like it went into slow motion.

The enemies began to rush her with axe, sword, and spear. They moved like they were trapped in tar or quick sand.

Weiss took a deep breath.

_Remember your training, Weiss. Head up, shoulders back. Right foot forward…._

"Not _that_ forward," commented Winter from her hiding place.

She watched as her little sister faced off against the White Fang members. Though larger and possessing more strength, they had nowhere the amount of training Weiss had.

Eventually, the three sentries were defeated. Though Weiss had incurred some injuries of he own, they were light for the most part.

The younger Schnee could have ended the fight earlier, but kept inflicting injuries that were too shallow. Whether out of lack of strength or fear of killing her adversaries, no one knew.

"If she herself doesn't fix that, it could be a real problem in the future. Hm~ There were five guards, right?"(Winter)

As soon as she commented on that, a bulky White Fang member appeared with gauntlets in the shape of dragon heads.

"That one won't be easy, Weiss…"

"This one won't be easy…"(Weiss)

The White Fang member roared and began slamming his metal gauntlets together.

Weiss dashed and strafed sharply side to side. The boxer put his hands up and eyed his prey with concentration.

Like a crooked bolt of lightning, the fencer made her move, aiming for a side hit. Unfortunately, her opponent was able to keep up and the stab only met gauntlet.

Weiss leapt out of reach and slipped to the side again, before attacking. It was a repeat of the first attempt. The younger Schnee tried attacking from all different angles, but the boxer's turtle tactic was impregnable.

Then the battle shifted in an instant.

The White Fang member had memorized Weiss's attack rhythm and rather than blocking the next assault, opted to completely dodge next the strike.

Losing balance after hitting nothing, the fencer was caught flush. A full weighted blow bored into her gut and Weiss rocketed across the ground. Her body slammed hard against a tree trunk and she fell limply.

Weiss coughed hard as her vision blurred and spun. She felt her organs shutting down, her consciousness fading.

Weiss felt cold...

So cold… and alone…

Just as she was going to drift off into a comfortable sleep, she stabbed the ground viciously with her Myrtenaster.

Using it as a crutch to support her, Weiss willed herself to stand up. Her world reeled and came back into focus. Her sight sharpened and at the same time, the pain set in worse than ever.

The White Fang member shrugged at the display and thought it pathetic. He bolted headlong towards the young girl with the premise of a final blow.

_Come on Weiss, you've practiced this._

Weiss tightened her muscles at the inner thought.

For a brief moment, the pain subsided as she poured all her mental faculties on the task at hand. It was a maneuver she only accomplished a handful of times, and with her Glyphs that she was not so proficient at yet. But it fit the situation perfectly. Her opponent wouldn't expect an attack like it.

The White Fang member found the young Schnee within his range and swung a haymaker. Before making contact, he heard a strange sound before the young girl disappeared from his peripherals.

Weiss used her Glyph to launch her up towards another Glyph angled diagonally downwards. Propelling off the midair platform, Weiss ripped through the air and stabbed her enemy in the shoulder.

She had reasoned that the boxer had been receiving attacks from all sides, but not above. The tactic fulfilled her requirements for a perfect counter move.

The White Fang member was pinned between Myrtenaster's hilt and the cold wet earth. He yelled in pain until Weiss promptly withdrew her blade from his flesh and smacked his jaw with the edge handle.

The young girl slowly got to her feet and stared at her surroundings. There seemed to be no more enemies.

It began to rain hard, making the little heiress even more miserable. Her body groaned with pain and fatigue. Bones had been broken, some of her ribs were fractured for sure.

Her appearance was filthy. Blood and dirt had stained her once pristine white dress. Weiss's neatly tied hair was let down and completely tangled.

Without knowing for sure if it was the right way, she began limping away from the ruins. Her red tainted Myrtenaster was used as a support crutch.

…

Through the woods, she walked.

Minutes became hours as she trudged painfully on her journey back to civilization.

Weiss's mental and physical fitness was worn down to nothing. Numbness had set in and all she could understand about the world was the sound of cold rain.

A roar broke the somber atmosphere and Weiss turned around quickly.

It was a Grimm Ursai.

Possibly due to Weiss's blank mentality, she sharply switched from her limping posture, to a solid fighting stance. She placed her right foot perfectly forward and felt her long wet skirt weigh on it.

Weiss frowned and coldly cut the clothing shorter, freeing up more movement.

From her hiding place, Winter made a note to have a combat skirt made for her.

Weiss was at her nerves' end and it showed in her eyes. There was no mercy in them. They only sought a way to bring her opponent down.

Lightning cracked and Weiss rushed towards the Ursai in a crooked beeline. Myrtenaster found its mark and pierced a vital organ. As fast as it sunk in, it quickly withdrew. Before the Grimm could take a swipe at the young girl, she was already walking away.

The bear took a few steps forward, before falling to the floor and bleeding out.

Weiss didn't spare it a second look and continued limping.

It was dawn when she had finally made it to the edge of the forest. Search teams had picked her up and brought her home.

Before Weiss's arrival, Winter had returned ahead.

The Schnee sister's father was at the company, taking care of the press and other business.

Apollo had went to the residence to meet up with Winter.

"Do _**not**_tell Weiss I went after her," she said to him.

"Why?"(Apollo)

"You wouldn't understand. I'm going to sleep. It's been a long night."(Winter)

"Wait! What are you talking about?! You need to see her!"(Apollo)

"Do I? She's safe. If I see her, I might ruin all the hard work she's done. Now leave me alone."(Winter)

And with that the Ice Queen locked herself in her room. Before sleeping, she used her scroll to tell Apollo to leave the premises or she would cut him in half.

And so Weiss came home welcomed by no one…

"So that's it… just walked out of the forest and went home…"Weiss said uncomfortably.

Though it was difficult to know which was more uncomfortable. Reliving the story, or looking into all the crying or "on the verge of crying" faces that surrounded her.

""Waaaaahhhhh!""(Ruby, Jaune, and Sun)

Pyrrha Yang, Sun, and Neptune were tearing up.

"I'm not crying!" Neptune sniffed.

Ren had excused himself to the bathroom to hide his embarrassment, while Nora followed.

_(In the school courtyard)_

Blake projected several of her Doubles, but was unable to find an opening in Winter's defense.

"Why are you going easy on me?!"(Blake)

"Oh? You could tell?"(Winter)

"I thought you said you would give me a fight if I picked one."(Blake)

"Oh my. You were picking a fight? I thought you simply desired to do some practice."(Winter)

Blake hissed angrily as she launched another offensive.

After a few parries, Winter threw a stab, which Blake froze in an Ice Double. As she came around to attack the other side of the Ice Queen, the lancer split her weapon into its twin form and the cat barely dodged the deadly twirling whirlwind.

Blake glared fire at the smiling Winter.

"Such a temper… I was just joking. Honestly, even I'm not really sure why I'm holding back."(Winter)

Blake loaded her pistol and began shooting.

Winter lifted the ice block trapped lance and used it as a shield. She dashed towards her gun wielding opponent and shield bashed her, the glacier shattering on impact.

"Hmmm… Maybe I'm going easy on you because I like cats," Winter said with a chuckle.

Blake was going to go for another assault when the twin lances set on her shoulders.

The blades gently pinched her neck.

"Or maybe, I'm just fond of you, Miss Belladonna."(Winter)

"…!"(Blake)

"It seems I've won this little match of ours. As the loser, you are obligated to do as the winner says, correct?"(Winter)

"Why do you think-?"(Blake)

Before she could finish, the lances were removed from her neck.

"Does Weiss know you used to be in the White Fang?"(Winter)

"…"(Blake)

"Come now, don't you have any pride? I beat you fair and square after all."(Winter)

"… Yes."(Blake)

"Does she know you kidnapped her before?"(Winter)

"… No."(Blake)

"Hm… Now what would she say if she found out."(Winter)

"… I don't think she would care."(Blake)

"Oh really?"(Winter)

"Yes, because she knows I…"(Blake)

Blake remembers Weiss's lecture after the incident at the docks.

"That I am who I am now, and not who I was."(Blake)

"And that would be?"(Winter)

"Her friend and teammate!" Blake declares fiercely.

Winter sank into deep thought.

"Then I don't want to kill her friend and teammate, and you don't want to kill her sister." Winter claps her hands together in a business like fashion. "Let's settle the matter with that then."

"… This _isn't_ over," Blake said begrudgingly.

"Oh, of course not, but in the interest of our mutual ally, we should put on good airs."(Winter)

"Fine…for now."(Blake)

She calmly sheathed her sword and returned it to its mount.

"Good. Now smile, we have company."(Winter)

"Am I interrupting something?"(?)

Blake and Winter turn to the source of the voice.

"Ren?! What are you doing here?"(Blake)

"Well…Uh… Never mind. I just wanted some fresh air."(Ren)

Ren looked curiously between Blake and the ever smiling Winter.

"Is there—"(Ren)

"It's nothing. Let's go back to the dorm."(Blake)

Blake grabs Ren by the arm and begins pulling him towards the building.

…

Winter notices something strange.

"That boy… his voice…" she softly mutters with a forlorn thought.

Ren feels something unexplainable and looks behind him.

Winter is curtseyed deeply with a sad smile on her face.

"Thank you for all your hard work."

"Where's Nora?"(Blake)

"She's been in the bathroom… for about an hour now."(Ren)

"Is she alright?"(Blake)

"…She'll be fine."(Ren)

"If you say so. Also, please don't tell anyone about me meeting Winter."(Blake)

"Whoa, that was Winter?"(Ren)

"Yeah… why?"(Blake)

"Nothing. Just that Weiss told us a story about how they're kind of estranged."(Ren)

"Really? All I can tell is that Winter is a doting older sister. Though, I don't know how Weiss feels…"(Blake)

""Hmm."" They both murmured.

"Well, I suppose everyone's perspectives are different."(Ren)

"Yes… They are…"(Blake)

"By the way, have you given _that_ project a look through?"(Ren)

"Oh….Oh!"(Blake)

Blake immediately remembered what Ren was talking about.

A few days ago, he had confronted her about a "project" he had been working on. Seeing as she read a lot of books, Ren thought it would be a good idea to ask her opinion on it.

"I thought it was great."(Blake)

"Really?"(Ren)

"I hope you don't mind, but I showed it to Ruby. She especially liked it. Something about the main character."(Blake)

"I see. I wonder if it will be received well when I put it out there…"(Ren)

Blake gave him a large smile.

"It will… I know everyone will love it…"

**AUTHOR END NOTE**

If anyone's wondering about the sudden emphasis on Ren at the end, Monty Oum himself voiced the character. So that's why I did that. You can probably guess what the "project" was.

I didn't know the guy personally. I only knew him through his work. And when I watched it, I could just feel how much time and effort was there. You don't create something like that without pouring a lot of your life into it.

It was noble. It was brave. And it was Amazing.

Good bye Monty Oum.

Thank you very much for all of your work. You've changed my life forever.


End file.
